The Sinner Saint
by HipsyBohannon-NormanIsMyMuse
Summary: When Norman stumbles across a photo of his past love can he find her and save her in time or is it to late? He blames himself for what she has become, can he bring back the girl she used to be or will she slip through his fingers again.
1. Chapter 1

THE SINNER SAINT-PART 1. "These prints are amazing!" Norman said to Sean as they walked through the exhibit. "Yeah they are pretty sick dude, a little dark though guess that's what you get when you come to an art show titled "Creatures of the night, the down side, girls of the pole world" Sean said with laugh. The pictures showed strippers in the dark times, doing drugs back stage, prostitution, beaten and bruised from a hard life. "Wow that might be the most beautifully tragic thing I have ever seen it's like a car wreck man I can't look away" Sean's voice took on a serious tone catching Normans attention. He followed Sean's eyes to the largest pic in the gallery it hung floor to ceiling, black and white, it was a woman, naked on the cat walk in a strip club. Leaning her back on the pole, Her arms spread out as if she was hanging from a cross. Tears flowed down her cheeks leaving long streaks of black makeup in their wake. Her hair hung in long ropes of dreaded locks you could tell where from neglect not styling. Her thin frame was almost skeletal, rib's, hip bones and collar bones defined in shades of grey. Long jagged scars painted her body in lines of black The anguish, hurt and desperation was so visible in her eye's it made you feel her pain in a physical way. "Rainy?" Norman whispered her name as if it were a prayer only to be heard and answered by his God. "What, you know her? That's gotta be a pretty shitty strip club if there letting girls that look like that work the pole" Sean laughed but his smile faded when he saw his friends face lose all color he looked stricken. Norman put his fingers to his lips and let out a loud whistle bringing the full room of people to attention a pin drop would have been defining in the room. "Where's the photographer?" He questioned his voice had a hard note to it Sean was positive he had never heard in all the years they had been friends. A small hipster looking man came walking out of the crowed towered Norman and Sean a mask of confusion and annoyance on his face. "Sorry folks my friend gets really excited by art if ya know what I mean, go back to your viewing people" Sean yelled with a wave of his hand and a smile to the crowed. They all laughed and a few "Amen's" Where called out as everyone turned their attention back to the photos and conversations. "I need to talk to you in private right now!" Norman said leaning into the much smaller man, anger and urgency lining his features. "Listen Daryl Dixon I get it you and Powder over here are celebrities but I have a gallery full of fans that all want my attention right now so you will have to wait your turn" The overly flamboyant man said turning his back to them. Sean raised an eyebrow at Norman who gave him a nod back. Before the hipster knew what was happening his arm was pinned behind his back and he was turned back around to face Norman. Sean kept enough pressure on the man so he wouldn't be dismissing them so quickly but wouldn't cause any real damage. The little man looked panicked "Right this way Mr. Reedus" The balding man said as he pointed with his free hand to his office in the back of the studio. "See that wasn't so hard now was it?" Sean said releasing the photographers arm. They followed him in and slammed the door behind them. "I want that print and all your negatives of Rainy" Norman said backing the man up to his cluttered desk. "Who?" the artist questioned confusion sitting in. "The crying stripper on the pole cross" Sean intervened leaning against the door looking as intimidating as a pit bull leashed with dental floss. Realization dawned on the picture takers face then he laughed. "That's my best print out of the collection I have bidders from all over the world trying to nab that, it's up to a four hundred thousand dollars and climbing last time I checked and as far as me turning over my negatives your mad man" He said brushing his shoulder against Normans as he passed him making his way to the door. Sean stood his ground giving the man a toothy grin "I don't think you heard my boy Reedusstien name your price and hand over the negatives" He said placing both his hand's finger tips on the short man's chest and backing him up till he hit his desk. Sean wasn't sure what Normans deal was with this picture but he had his back no matter what. The man looked from Normans angry faced to Sean's sadistic one and started nodding. "ok ok Jesus you Saint's really are thugs aren't you?" He said thinking of an outrageous price that would make these men lose interest in their campaign. "Five hundred thousand dollars for the print and a million for all the negatives." the artist said crossing his arms over his chest. "Your fucking nut's" Sean said scoffing at the outrageous price tag. "I have over 500 hundred shots of her she was captivating in such a unsettling manner I couldn't stop snapping pics of her. I followed her around for days. I was planning on doing my entire next show with her images. Do you know how much money I could have made off her the possibility are endless" The man stated his reasoning's for his price. "Sold I'll take them all get her off the wall right now!" Norman hissed in a deadly tone that made the hair on even Sean's neck stand on end he had never seen his friend this upset. "Come on man at least let me keep it up for the rest of the showing, your killing me here" The plump man whined out. "NOW!" Norman barked making the man jump he turned quickly grabbing the phone on his desk and punching in a number. "Yes please take the print "The sinner Saint" down off the wall and wrap it up, yes yes I know just do it right now!" The man finished and slammed the phone down. "Done now if you will please excuse me I have a show to get back to" The man said trying to make a B line for the door. Norman shook his head at Sean who was back to filling the door frame. Sean just shook his head no causing the man to look from him back to Norman. "The negatives" Norman said leaning into the man. "Dear lord ok ok I was just going to have them delivered with your print but here" The man said making his way to his file cabinet he yanked it open and pulled out the large yellow envelop marked "The Sinner Saint" with scribbled dollar signs across it. "I'll be walking out the door with the print right now!' Norman said snatching the envelope out of his hands tracing the letters with his finger. "You're a fucking monster making money off these peoples pain" Norman hissed through gritted teeth, staring hard into the man's beady eyes. "Hey she got paid, she was more than happy with the five hundred bucks I gave her shit man do you know how many cocks that kind of girl would have to suck to get that kinda cash, I did that whore a fucking favor!" The hit came before the last word was out of his mouth. "Holy fuck!" Sean screamed a giant smile breaking out on his face as he jumped up and down like he had just watched a prize title fight and his guy had won. "Whoa whoa whoa brother come on he's had enough" Sean sad grabbing Norman from behind when he saw he was dropping down to punch the man who was now curled up like a baby on the floor blocking his bleeding face with his hands. Norman allowed Sean to pull him back but he spit on the man before yanking himself free from Sean's grasp and storming out the door. Sean leaned down on his heels beside the man and cocked his head to the side. "Let's keep this between us ok or you might find yourself in my next photo shoot I'm thinking of calling it "Dead photographers" Sounds catchy right?" The man's eyes grew wide and he nodded his head in agreement. Sean gave him a hard pat on the shoulder and stood walking out of the room. The photographer let out a relieved sigh and laid his head back on the floor. "Hey great pic's btw keep up the good work!" Sean said peeking his head back in the room causing the hipster to jump out of his skin and block his face again. He peeked over his hand and nodded at Sean. "um thanks?" Sean grinned at him tapped the door frame twice and vanished again. Norman stomped his way into the gallery over to his latest purchase two men in suit's where wrapping large white sheets around the photo he pushed them aside and grabbed the frame pulling it free of its hook. It was heavy and awkward to carry through the crowd of onlookers but he made it too the door finally. "Hold up man I got ya" Sean yelled jogging across the studio and pushing the large bay door open for his friend. Norman squeezed the bulky portrait through making his way to the parking lot he had made it about twenty feet then stopped in his tracks on the sidewalk. "Fuck! This is never gonna fit in my jeep!" He sad leaning the fame up against the building he fixed the sheet so no part of it could be seen by the people who passed them on the busy side walk. He sighed and leaned his forehead against the glass of the picture. "Don't sweat it man I got a moving truck on it's way already" Sean said closing his phone and catching up to his impulsive friend. "Thanks' brother" Norman said turning and giving his friends shoulder a gentle squeeze. They both took a spot next to the print leaning against the wall as they waited for the truck to arrive, being famous had its perks and one of them was quick service. It was silent for a few moments but then Sean's curiosity got the better of him. "So mind telling me what that was all about?" He questioned glancing at his friend. Norman ran his hands through his long hair "I don't want to talk about it" he said crossing his arms over his wide chest. Sean copied his actions and shook his head "Ok ok I gotcha man, we won't talk about it then" A few minutes passed and Sean waited his friend out. He knew he could never hold anything back from him and given time he would let loose in a flood of explanation. Norman fidgeted in his spot chewing on his thumbnail and looking down the street searching for the truck. Finally he let out a pained sigh and Sean new he was about to come out with it. "Ok I wanna talk about it" Norman said starting to pace in front of the portrait. "Shoot brother I'm all ears" Sean said gesturing for him to continue, he was dying inside to know what had his best friend in such a state of upheaval. "Mingus wasn't my first kid...well he was but he wasn't" Norman said stuffing his hand's in his pockets. Sean's eyebrow rose in confusion he was there when Norman brought Mingus home from the hospital hell he was his Godfather for heaven's sake and he had never heard his friend speak about having any other kids. "It was never born, a whole bunch of shit went down that was all my fault, Jesus this is all my fault man" Norman said pointing at the photo while he continued to pace. "I don't understand, what is this the girl you knocked up? If so man by the looks of it you really dodged a bullet dude that girl is a hot fucking mess" Sean said cocking his head towered the picture on his right. Norman stopped dead in his tracks and gave Sean an icy stare. "Don't fucking do that" His voice had an edge to it that left Sean feeling like he had been cut to the bone. He raised his hands in surrender. "Sorry man that was a dick move please go on" Norman looked up as the moving truck pulled up. He gave the driver his address and turned to Sean. "I feel sick man I'm just gonna go home" Norman said turning and walking away. "Come on man you can't leave me hanging like that" Sean yelled to his back. "Go home Sean" Norman called back in a annoyed tone and continued walking.


	2. Chapter 2

Sean tried calling Norman for the 300th time in the last days but still his call went straight to voice mail. He ended the call and walked into the photo gallery heading straight back to the office. He winked at the secretary who looked to star struck to even speak the words to tell him not to go in the office. The Hipster looked up from his desk a bandage covering his nose and looked horrified seeing Sean enter. He slid out of his chair and down under the desk. "I didn't tell anyone I swear to God!" He called out from his hiding spot. "Good to know, but not why I'm here so come on out" Sean said taking a seat across the desk. The photographer peeked his head up. "Then why are you here?" He said climbing back up in his chair never taking his eyes of the dangerous star that sat across from him. "Need all the information you have on that girl from the picture, address, phone number whatever you got" Sean said resting his ankle on his knee and leaning back in the chair. "Why would I help you, your friend broke my fucking nose! You're nothing but a street thug in an actor's costume!" He said shaking his head at Sean "Well I could jump over this table break every bone in your body 27 seconds flat but I'm feeling kinda lazy today so here's a grand for the info" He said throwing the roll of bills on the desk. The artist looked at and thought it better to just hand over what he had. He flipped through his address book and jotted down hers. "Here but I don't know why u people are wasting your time finding that junkie. It wouldn't surprise me if she's dead in a gutter already she was running on borrowed time a month ago when I took the pics" He said sliding the number across the desk. Sean stuffed it into his pocket and left the office heading straight for Normans place.

He slid his key into the lock without knocking knowing Norman probably wouldn't answer any way. He was shocked at the state the house was in it looked like a tornado had went through the normally spotless environment. "Reedus where are you?" He called out. "Go away!" He heard Norman shout from his studio. He found Norman sitting in the middle of a floor scattered with pictures he had gotten the negatives developed and now they surrounded him. Her life laid out in black and white. Along with multiple empty bottles of Jack and beer cans. He was staring at the print that he had bought as if it held all the answers to the world's questions. Sean tip toed over the pic's and sat down next to Norman pulling the bottle he was clutching out of his hand and taking a swig. "Man you smell like shit" Sean said glancing at the pictures spread all over the floor. Pictures of a sad life, some she was stripping some she was passed out with a needle still lodged in her arm, others where just random shots of her scars, protruding bones, and disheveled hair. Pics of her face all told the tale of a hard life lead. Her eye's where haunting and gave Sean a shiver up his spine. Sean sat there not saying a word just waiting. "She wasn't always like this man, she was beautiful probably the most beautiful thing I had ever laid eyes on. She was my world for a moment in time." Sean listened glancing down at a stack of pictures Norman was clutching in his hand they were in color un like the others. Sean slipped them out of his zoned friend's fingers and began flipping through them. They were snap shots of a girl smiling brightly holding on to Norman. As he moved from picture to picture he saw a younger happier Norman one with a light in his eye's Sean had never seen before. "I met her on the sidewalk she was selling her paintings and they were incredible, we just clicked dude like on every single level. She was 18 and I was 27. She had just came to N.Y. from this shit hole in Kentucky wanted to be an artist spend her day's creating. I fell in love with her the very moment I saw her I followed her around like a damn puppy man till finally she agreed to go out with me. I asked her to move in with me on are first date and she did , I was crazy about the girl." Norman stopped to grab the bottle back from his friend. "She was a virgin man made me wait 6 months to touch her. It was worth it though she was the kind of girl you would wait a lifetime for. We spent every second together we could I was getting acting gigs here and there and she was working at a diner downtown and selling her art on the side. I tried to get her to quit but she wanted to bring in her own money. Then she got pregnant and I was so fucking happy, I had my girl and I was gonna have something we both made. Dude it was heaven, everything was all planed out our whole life was coming together." Sean flipped to the next picture and saw her standing holding a small little baby bump smiling trying to block the picture from being taken. "I was supposed to pick her up that night but I had gone out with this producer who wanted me to look at his script before I knew it, it was last call. I got a cab home expecting her to be asleep in our bed but she wasn't there all I found was a message on the answering machine from the hospital. Turns out she had tried to walk home, she never made it, some sick fucks grabbed her up drug her down a back ally, cut her up real bad took turns raping and beating her before they slit her throat and left her to bleed out. She didn't though she managed to crawl out to the street and flag someone down. All because I was out getting drunk and not where I should have been" Norman took a pained swig out of the bottle. Sean's heart was broken for the pain in his friend's voice. He couldn't believe Norman had never told him this after all the shit hey had been through and all the late night talks they had had. He couldn't believe his best friend had been holding all this in all these years.


	3. Chapter 3

"Maybe she's not working tonight" Sean leaned over and whispered to Norman. They sat in the back corner of the dark dingy club. Only about five patrons where in the seedy joint and Sean and Norman didn't mind that at all they, had no interest in getting recognized in a place like this. Norman looked around feeling sick that Rainey would even be in a place like this. "You know her, you love her put your money on the table for everyone's favorite living dead girl…. ScarLa. The anoucer called out as the song "living dead girl" by Rob Zombie blared from the crackling speakers and out stepped Rainy. Normans eye's grew wide and his heart stopped, She looked even worse than in the pictures. She started her dance twirling around the pole with mechanical precision. Then she walked the cat walk stumbling a bit but catching herself before she fell. She started taking of her clothes one piece at a time as the men gathered around her throwing their cash. Norman jumped up from his seat ready to jump on stage and stop all of this. Sean reached up snagging his arm and pulling him back into his chair. "Listen we gotta do this right man, Stay here" Sean said getting up from his chair, he headed over to the bouncer and whispered something in his ear then pointed to the stage then back at Norman. The large man nodded and waved for Norman to come over. Norman glanced back at the stage just in time for Rainy to vanish threw the curtains.

Norman followed the large man back to the private room that God only knows what usually happened, in while Sean waited for his friend back at the table. Norman fidgeted in the chair, the room was dark and empty black lights lined the ceiling. He felt like he might throw up, Sean had paid for a lap dance so he could get to see her one on one. He had no idea what he was going to say to her now that the moment was upon him. "Hi it's Norman, remember the guy who ruined your life yeah that one ..so yeah sorry about that" Didn't seem to be the right words. The door creaked open and in stumbled Rainey. She had a sick and twisted grin on her face and he could tell by her eye's she was way past gone, She could barely hold them open. She let out a giggle and walked toured him. "Hiya big boy I'm ScarLa, I'm gonna make you feel so good" She said crawling on his lap still not looking him in the face. She began to grind herself on Normans jean covered man hood. Rainy stop it! He said grabbing her tooth pick thin upper arms and pushing her back. "No, no, no touchy touchy I don't do that I'll get you one of the other girls ok, I'm not a hooker" She said waiving her finger in his face. "Rainy it's me" He said shaking her as her head bobbed back and forth. She looked confused as his words and voice slowly sunk into her drug clogged brain. Her dead eye's finally locked onto his blue orbs and her hands came up to caress his cheeks. "I miss you so much" She said in a broken whisper. "I miss you too Rain" Norman said pulling her frail body to his hugging her as tight as he thought he could without hurting her. She was so small so brittle he was scared she would shatter into pieces at any second. "Sometimes I wish you could be real" She whispered into his shoulder clinging to him. Rainey could almost swear he was. Her delusion was so vivid this time. He even smelled like she remembered a scent that was intoxicating in itself she breathed him in basking in the glory of her imagination. She could swear she could feel his heart beating against her chest as she leaned into him. She wondered where she had passed out this time and if she was going to wake up or if she had finally been put out of her misery maybe this was heaven. "Rainy look at me" Norman said grabbing her face between his large palms she smiled a lop sided grin and tried with all her might to focus her vision. "You're so beautiful, but you look older this time, that's so weird… why would you look older?' She questioned running her fingers over Normans wrinkles. "Rainy it's me I'm really hear" Norman wanted to cry he couldn't stand seeing her like this. She sat back wobbling on his lap confusion filling her stoned features her brain was trying to process it all. "It's me Rainy" He said grabbing the palm of her hand and kissing it like he had a million times before. She jerked her hand away as if he had bit her. She threw herself back words of his lap crawling back words across the carpet as fast as she could. Norman jumped up trying to reach for her but she held her hands out for him to stop. "You stay away from me!" She screamed. "Please just let me help you, let me get you out of this place, you don't belong here, your sick Rainey" he pleaded with her dropping to his knees. "Stay away from me, stay away from me, stay away from me!" She shouted over and over again. She pulled herself up the wall and staggered toured the door. She banged on it and the big guy was there instantly. "Get this fucking guy away from me" She said gesturing at Norman. The big guy nodded and walked over to Norman pulling him off the floor. "Wait, please Rainy just here me out" He called trying to push away from the big guy. Rainy turned her back to him and slid down the wall as the big guy pushed Norman out the door closing it.

"So what exactly is the plain here Reedus" Sean asked from the driver's seat of his car. Norman chewed his thumb nail and glanced around the empty parking lot of the club. He didn't really know what his plain was he just knew he needed to see her again, he needed her to hear him out. Just then the club doors opened and she walked out dressed in a pair of ripped up dirty skinny jeans some beat up boots and an oversized Alice in chains hoodie. "That's where my hoodie went" He said more to himself than to Sean. He watched her walk their way swaying back and forth in her stooper. The back pack she carried looked like it might way more than she did and she shifted it from shoulder to shoulder. Norman jumped out of the car taking a few large steps to catch up to her. "Rainy please I gotta talk to you" He said grabbing her arm and spinning her around. She ripped her arm away from him "I said leave me alone damn it! I'm not fucking with you Norman go away!" She said as she turned and started walking away again. "Please just five minutes" Norman begged but she kept walking. Norm heard a whistle from behind him and turned back to see Sean standing by his open trunk. Norman shook his head confused at what the hell Sean wanted, then turned his attention back to Rain. "Listen I know you probably hate me and you probably never wanted to see me, but I really need to talk to you!" Norman said running in front of her blocking any direction she tried to pass him in. Her hooded gaze fell on his face and his heart crumbled on the sidewalk. There was so much anger and sadness brewing in her dilated pupils it made his soul ach. "I'm so sorry Rainy for everything" He said his eyes pleading with her. "Good for you, you did your good deed Norman now fuck off man your killing my buzz" She tried to sound as cold as she could. She just wanted leave her alone so she could go back to dying I peace. She pushed his chest trying to shove him back but he didn't budge. "No, you're not going anywhere until you hear me out" Norman said grabbing her arms. She tried to fight him but she was too weak. "Get the fuck off me Norman!" She screamed still trying to slap him. She panicked as she felt a hand go around her mouth and her body being lifted off the ground from behind. She kicked her legs out trying to escape but found no purchase for them. The next thing she knew she was being shoved into a trunk and it was slammed closed covering her with darkness.

"What the fuck was that Sean?" Norman screamed as they both jumped in the car speeding off before anyone saw anything. "That was me handling the situation Reedus" He said turning at the light as calm as a cucumber. "Handling the situation what the hell do you mean? We just kidnapped someone Sean that's against the law dude here gonna go to prison" Norman said looking around as if the cops where already coming for them. "Calm down Homie your acting like you never kidnapped someone before Jesus man" Sean said pulling onto the express way. "Because I never have! Why the fuck did you do that and who the fuck have you kidnaped?" Norman screamed running his hands over his face. "Me and my old lady like to role play don't judge me" Sean said smacking Norman on the chest. "And I did that because it's the only way that little junkie is going to hear you out man, we take her to your place you get to be heard then we let her go simple, besides who would ever believe a junkie, stripper if she told them the fucking Boondock saints kidnapped her, come on man this plain is golden pony boy" Sean said speeding down the road towered Normans place.

"Oh God is she dead?" Norman panicked. Sean leaned into the trunk feeling for her pulse. "No I think she passed out or maybe just fell asleep either way she's out like a light man" Sean said picking her wrist up and dropping it. Rainey didn't make a move. "Well shit help me get her upstairs" Norman said reaching in the trunk he handed Sean her back pack and lifted her out. It felt like he was carrying a small child, not a full grown woman she was so light. Sean opened the door for him and dropped her bag on the floor. "I'm gonna put her in my bed let her sleep it off" Norman said making his way to the bedroom. "Dude are you sure you want to do that? What if she has like fleas or something?" Sean called out. "Go home Sean!" Norman shouted out to him. "Fine have it your way but don't come crying to me when you get scabies or some shit!" Sean said laughing as he made his way out the door.


End file.
